Pillow block



. p 1, 1959 F. LEISTER 2,902,321

PILLOW BLOCK Filed Oct. 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Fayed/32Lezlszier ATTORNEYS F. LEISTER 2,902,32 4

PILLOW BLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 1, 1959 Filed Oct. 9, 1957 'II 1 6 I2 25 15 Fayei X A 4* l Fig.5.

United States Pate 2,902,321 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 PILLOW BLOCK FayetteLeister, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The Fafnir Bearing Company, NewBritain, Qonxn, a cor- My invention relates to a pillow block.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved pillow blockformed of pressed metal so as to be light in weight and sturdy inconstruction.

U Another object is to provide an improved pillow block having improvedstiffening means for the block.

Another object is to provide a pillow block having improved means forsecuring the same to a support.

Another object is to provide a pillow block formed of partsinterconnected by bending one relatively to the other so as to securethe parts together.

Another object is to provide an improved form of pillow block formed oftwo plate-like members, which areduplicates of each other and arearranged to be secured together by bending one over the other.

Other objects and various features of novelty and invention will behereinafter pointed out or will become apparent to those skilled in theart.

Briefly stated, in a preferred form, the invention comprises twoupstanding plate members in face to face relationship, constituting thepillow block. These plates each have outwardly extending annularflanges, said flanges between them forming a housing for a bearing inthepillow block. ..The plates may be secured together by bolts, rivets,screws or the like, but are preferably held together in addition bybending one plate relatively to wea -M In one form, one of the plateshas large loops at the side edges, and the other plate has smaller loopsfitting within the larger loops, the loops themselves in that wayholding the two plates to each other. The smaller loop on each end ofthe pillow block is of a size to receive a bolt or other securing meansfor securing the pillow block to its support. In a preferred form theseloop holding and securing means extend up a substantial distance andpreferably about to the horizontal plane through the axis of thebearing.

In a modified form of construction, each plate has a large eye at oneedge and a small eye at the other edge so that when the plates aretogether in face to face relationship, the small eye at one end will bereceived in a large eye, and at the other end the first plate has anenlarged eye to receive a small eye of the second plate. Thus, theplates are exact duplicates of each other, and great savings can be madein the manufacture of the pillow blocks.

The bearings, such as antifriction bearings may fit directly in thehousing formed by the annular flanges, or there may be a bushing ofartificial rubber or the like interposed between the housing and thebearing.

In the drawings which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferredforms of the invention- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a pillow blockillustrating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in axial elevation of the pillow block shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view in quarter section, taken substantially in theplane of the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one-half of the pillow block shown inFig. 1;

Fig.5 is a central, vertical section through the pillow block andshowing a slightly modified construction of bearing fitting in thepillow block;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary axial view of the pillow block shown in Fig. 2,illustrating aslight modification;

.Fig. 7 is a sectional view, taken substantially in th plane of the line7.-7 of .Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line88 of Fig. 6; and v Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating amodification wherein the two plates are duplicates ofeach the T In apreferred form shown, the pillow block comprises a pair of plate 5-6 inface to face relationship with each other. These plates may be so held,or partially held together by bolts, rivets, screws or the like 7, aswill be understood. The plates are preferably each provided withoutwardly extending annular flanges 89, and the ends of these flanges8-9 may be turned radially inwardly, as indicated at lltl'10, so as toform amore complete housing for the bearings which fit in the housing.-

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the plate 5 has a large loop 12 ateach end. The plate 6 has a smaller loop 13 at each end, the smallerloops being of a size to fit within and be cramped tightly in the largeloops 12.- Thus, the two plates are securely held together'by the bentloops and are also held by the bolts or the like-7. mentioned above.These loops are of such size that the inner loop has an opening,preferably elongated in set:- tion, to permit slight adjustment, andlargeenoughto receive a securing bolt or'the like passing down throughthe eyes and into or through a support'for the pillow block. The boltheads or nuts may fit directly on the top of the loops or on a washer,as will be understood. These loops, as illustrated, are of a heightabout-up to a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the pillowblock, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. a

. The bottoms of the plates 56 and of all of the loops are preferablyall flush with each other and form the bottom of the pillow block. Theplates, therefore, have edge metal supporting surfaces, as indicated at14, and the bottoms of the loops are also of edge metal so that theentire pillow block will be very solidly supported on the pillow blocksupport.

As shown in Fig. 3, the hearing, which may be an antifriction bearing,including an outer ring 15, is mounted in the housing but not directlytherein, but in a bushing in of artificial rubber or similar resilientmaterial, which fits within the housing and which itself houses theouter ring and holds the latter in proper position in the housing. Thisartificial rubber bushing permits some self-alignment of the bearing inthe housing.

In the slight modification shown in Fig. 5, the outer bearing ring fitsdirectly in the housing formed by the outwardly directed annular flanges8-9. The outer surface of the ring 17 is preferably spherical, and theinside of the housing flanges together form a generally sphericalhousing surface so that some slight self-alignment of the bearing willbe permitted. It is preferable, however, to align the bearing properlybefore finally securing the plates together.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the plates instead ofhaving edge metal bearing surfaces have generally outwardly directedfeet 18, which extend outwardly to about the same extent as do theannular flanges 8-9. Therefore, in this latter modification, the pillowblock is supported not altogether by edge 3 metal, but also by the largearea flat transverse feet 18 on the plates. The bottoms of the feet 18and the bottoms of the loops or eyes are allsubstantially' flushwitheach other and form a single seating surface for the pillow block on itssupport. I

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the two plates 20-21, correspondingto the plates --6 in the. other form, are exact duplicates of eachother. The plate 20 has a large eye 22 at one transverse end or edge,and a small eye 23 at the other end or transverse edge. The plate 21,being a duplicate of the plate 2.9, has a small eye 24 embraced withinthe large eye 22, and the plate 21 at the other end has a large eye 25embracing the small eye 23 on the plate 20. Thus, the two plates areheld the same as before, but the two plates are duplicates and each hasa small eye and a large eye rather than as in the forms shown in Figs. 1to 8. Duplicate plates make for great savings in manufacture.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an improved form of pillowblock, formed of pressed metal, which is rather simple in constructionand very sturdy. The large upstanding eyes for receiving the securingbolts or the like give great stillness to the plates. The secur- 'ingbolts passing down through the eyes at the ends serve to hold the pillowblock securely on its support. In addition to the stiffening effect ofthe eyes at the ends of the plates, the annular bearing flanges alsoform stiffening flanges which tend to stiffen the entire plate so thatthe two plates together form a very stiff pillow block. The pillow blockmay have edge metal bearing on its support, or the pillow block may besupported in'part by broad foot flanges at the bottoms of the plates.The

plates may be formed with loops or bent-over portions so that thebent-over portions in one plate embrace corresponding portions on theother plates, or the two plates may be duplicates of each other, andeach plate has a part bent over the other plate.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail andpreferred forms illustrated, it is to be understood that various changesmay be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a pillow block, a pair of plates in face to face relation, eachplate having an outwardly extending annular flange complementary to theduplicate flange on the other, said two annular flanges forming ahousing for a bearing, one of said plates at the sides being curled overinto upstanding eyes for securing bolts, the other said plate at thesides being curled over and embracing said eyes and serving to securesaid plates together in face to face'relation as aforesaid, and anantifriction bearing in said housing.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1, and a resilient bushinginterposed between said bearing and said housing.

3. In the combination defined in claim 1, said two plates at the bottomhaving metal edges to engage a support for said pillow block.

4. In the combination defined in claim 3, said metal edges and thebottom sides of said curled over sides being substantially flush. 5. Inthe combination defined in claim 1, said plates at the bottom havingoutwardly turned supporting flanges to engage a support for the pillowblock.

6. In the combination defined in claim 1, the top edges of the curledeyes and curled over plates at the sides embracing said eyes extendingupwardly substantially to a horizontal plane through the axis ofthebearing.

7. In a pillow block, a pair of upstanding plates in face to facerelation, each plate having an outwardly extending annular flangecomplementary to the duplicate annular flangeon the other, said twoannular flanges forming a housing for a bearing, said two plates beingduplicates of each other and each having one end curled into anupstanding small eye for a securing bolt and at the other end having alarge eye embracing the small eye at the end of' the other plate, saidlarge eyes in embracing said small eyes serving to secure said platestogetherias aforesaid, and a bearing in said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,109,053. Searles Feb. 22, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,748 Canada Mar. 8,1955

